Wanderlust: Scotland

Hello again everyone. I hope you’re all feeling good and staying positive.

This is the third post in my Wanderlust series, where I talk about all of the places in the world I want to travel to. We are still on the UK, but the idea is to gradually get further away from home as the series goes on. For now though, here are my reasons to go to Scotland.

1. RICH HISTORY

Scotland has such a rich and fascinating history to uncover, with its castles, its peoples, and of course, its many battles against the English. I for one really want to learn more about this part of the world and its people and how it got to where it is today.

2. SEVEN CITIES

There may only be seven official cities in Scotland, but each of them is unique. Each one has its own history, and its own features which make it stand out. Be it Edinburgh or Glasgow, Stirling or Inverness, Aberdeen or Dundee, or Scotland’s most recently designated city Perth, there is so much to see in each of them.

3. THE FORTH BRIDGE

The Forth Bridge is a truly stunning landmark. With its distinctive cantilevers of red-painted steel, it has become an icon of British architecture ever since its construction in the late 1800s. At the time, it was the longest cantilever bridge in the world, a testament to the power of Victorian engineering and a symbol of the power of industry in the UK.

I love this bridge and would love to one day see it, either on a train crossing it, or on the accompanying Forth Road Bridge where the views are likely to be better.

4. CASTLES

If history and historic buildings are your thing, then why not pay a visit to one of Scotland’s many castles. Just like the whole of the UK, Scotland’s landscape is full of these little fortresses, some in very remote but beautiful landscapes, others a bit closer to urban areas. Perhaps the most famous Scottish castle though, is Edinburgh castle, which overlooks the city and can be seen for miles around. Isn’t it just amazing?

I have visited so many historic castles and stately homes up and down the country (and found them to be fascinating places) but never in Scotland, so this is definitely something I would love to do in future if given the chance.

5. THE HIGHLANDS

Now it’s time to move a bit further away from the urban areas and head into the vast natural Scottish scenery that I seem to fall in love with more and more every time I see it. In particular, whenever I see pictures of the Highlands with its expansive undisturbed beauty, I just want to go and explore it. The Highlands have everything a nature lover would want; mountains, rivers, lakes (known as lochs in Scotland), hundreds of islands, and a vast array of beautiful plants and animals to learn about.

6. BEN NEVIS

Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the UK, and is a very popular tourist attraction. For me, the combination of never having been up a mountain before, and the appeal of the Scottish landscape make this one of the places I would most love to go to.

7. LOCHS

We have all been brought up with the folklore of the monster that lives deep within the waters of Scotland’s famous Loch ness, but we should not ignore the fact that the loch itself, and indeed all of Scotland’s lochs, are set in the most amazing natural backdrop. Of course, I want to go to Ness, just like everyone else in the world, but for me it’s not necessarily about Nessie herself, but the nature around her famous home.  

The other loch I would love to see is Loch Lomond. Apparently, I have been past it before as a child (I’ll get onto that trip a bit later) but unfortunately cannot remember it. It is perhaps Scotland’s second most famous loch, after Ness, but it is another example of a beautiful piece of nature that I urge people to visit if you get a chance.

8. ISLANDS

You cannot talk about Scotland without considering the huge number of islands that it has. When combined, the Scottish mainland and its islands have a coastline measuring some 7,000 miles, around 70% of the overall coastline of the entire UK!

I mentioned above that I have apparently been past Loch Lomond and don’t remember it. In 2000, we went on a family holiday to the Isle of Skye. Even though I was only 6 years old at the time, that holiday has stuck in my mind more than any other I’ve ever had in my entire life. The views and the landscape were (and I presume still are) absolutely stunning and I would love to go back and see this place again.

On top of that, there are over 700 other islands, many uninhabited, in Scotland which mean there is plenty of choice for island trips, and I for one would love to see as many of them as possible.

9. WILDLIFE

We cannot talk about the natural wonders of Scotland without mentioning the incredible range of wildlife that call this place home. Below, I’ve outlined just some of the creatures that you might see on a trip to Scotland.

-        Birds: including kestrels, osprey, and golden eagles

-        Red Deer

-        Common Seals and Grey Seals

-        Bottlenose dolphins

-        Orca (killer whale)

I know, who would have thought you could see the likes of Bottlenose dolphins and killer whales in BRITAIN! Unbelievable!

10. FOOD AND DRINK

Finally, if everything so far hasn’t tempted you, how about settling down and enjoying some of the food and drink that Scotland has given the world.

-        Seafood

o   Scotland has become one of Europe’s largest exporters of seafood, with many different types of fish and other seafood exported worldwide, including lobster and Atlantic salmon.

-        Shortbread

o   I cannot tell you how much I LOVE shortbread. For those who don’t know, it is a type of biscuit, but is so much better than your usual kind. Shortbread is the best!

-        Beef

o   Many breeds of beef cattle come from Scotland; Aberdeen Angus, Galloway, Highland.

-        Whisky

o   And after all of that, you can wash it down with whisky, Scotland’s most famous drink. More than 100 different distilleries across Scotland produce this drink which is exported and enjoyed by people right across the world.

I would love to go and sample some of these things in Scotland because like anything, food which is produced and served in the place it comes from always tastes the best (like French baguettes or British fish and chips are not the same outside of those places). Oh, and of course, I love food as well, so that may just come into it!

And there you have it, those are my ten reasons for wanting to visit Scotland at some point in the future.

Have you been to Scotland?

Do you want to go to Scotland?

Do you think I’ve missed out any reason to visit Scotland in this post?

You can get in touch with me via my social media links in the sidebar if you want to share your thoughts, or you can simply leave a comment down below if you wish.

I hope you’re enjoying the Wanderlust series so far and are taking some inspiration from it.

Until my next post, remember to keep positive, keep smiling, and above all, keep believing!